16 9 / 2012
A sigh almost escaped from behind her lips. All the signs were there to see, but she had just barely managed to keep it in. Her mother had always told her not to show any signs of annoyance. She would be much prettier that way, she had said. And while Ryanne had some thoughts of her own about supposedly looking pretty, she would have to agree with her mother about the level of charm an exasperated sigh would show. Which was another thing that would bother her well into the night, even after heading to bed, agreeing with her mother.
It would be unbecoming to be any sort of happy that the extremely hateful old creature was dead, so Ryanne filed that particular feeling under the ‘secret joys’ section of her wonderful little cabinet of feelings not fit to show the outside world.
Among those feelings were also large amounts of irritation at the person, for lack of a better word, sitting at the other side of her desk. He, (Ryanne was mostly certain it was a he), had been all smiles from the moment he entered her office. And by all smiles she meant he literally was made up of smiles, all over his body.
The Titranim had the particular skill of manipulating all the little stones, that seemed a lot like teeth, that covered their body, in such a way that they seemed like mouths. She was certain there had to be eyes in there somewhere, but all she could see were the mouths, smiling at her, smugly.
“Do you have anything to declare, before entering the city?” she asked.
It seemed to her that his smiles widened. Inside of her a fury burned that longed for nothing more than to take her truncheon firmly in hand and beat every one of those horrifying excuses for teeth from his body. Oh, how that would teach him to come here and smile at her. She would do just that, if only she still had her truncheon. They had taken it from her, after the last time she had beat someone with it for being a person of awful composure and horrible of nature. How she missed its firm presence at her side.
“Nothing at all, sweetie,” he replied.
A shiver ran down her spines and made the scales that surrounded them flare red. It took more self-control than she had thought imaginable, but she managed to keep any sign of it from her face. Right after beating him to within in inch of his life, she would like nothing better than to refuse him entry and watch him sulk away from the city walls. But that would mean paperwork, mountains of it, and him present for every moment of her filling them in. The thought alone was enough to make bile rise up in her throat.
She brought her red entry-stamp down on his travel papers and led him out of her office as fast as possible.
Thank every deity listening that this day is over, she thought as she changed out of her uniform and into something she felt a semblance of comfortable in. She greeted the few colleagues she didn’t despise and made her way out of the building right next to the city gates where she worked. The streets were filled with people making their way home from work and back to their families, or, just as likely, into one of the many bars where they could spend their day’s wages on cheap pleasures.
Ryanne wore loose fitting pants and coat of dark, coarse fabric. Most of her face was hidden underneath the cap she wore. The entirety of her outfit was meant to make people not notice her, a job that it did well together with her small stature.
Her mother had assured her that she would grow tall and strong eventually, enough to rip the heads of any suitor that didn’t live up to her expectations and thoroughly dominate any that would. Although the body strength required to rip someone in half was a thought that appealed to her, in a way, that part where people noticed her did not. She would have been very content to live her live unnoticed by most anyone, something that was just about impossible in the crowded city where she lived.
She remembered well the first time her mother had taken her and her sisters out to the top of the wall. Her sisters had crawled over the old battlements, amazed at just how large Landsedge actually was. From there they could see all the different quadrants, from the lower parts where beggars and whores communed, beyond the guild quarters where smoke rose from near every chimney, to the High Hills section of the city, where rich people lived in manors where there was room enough for ten families to live comfortably, or so she was told.
Her sisters had squealed with delight at the sight of it all, while Ryanne had taken a long, good look at it and decided it was not for her, before sitting down against the battlements to read in her book.
It didn’t take her long to make her way from the guardhouse where she worked to the stairs that led to the small apartment where she lived. It was wedged in neatly between the upper apartment where the old baker next door lived with his dozen or so wives and the workshop of a Bara, small people who liked to wrap up in many colored robes with an unfortunate love for alchemy and explosions. She was relieved her house didn’t smell like burnt cabbage again, as it had done last night.
Her mother had been certain she chose this house specifically to vex her into never coming to visit, which had been true and not nearly effective enough.
Ryanne saw herself in the mirror as she took of her hat and coat and dropped them on the bed. It had been going slow at first, but she could see the scaly growths along her spines spread a bit further every day now. Soon they would cover a pattern from her back, along her neck, to her jaw and shoulders. In a way she actually liked the colors that were slowly beginning to appear. They were mostly a sort of yellow, but she could see some orange and green as well. She knew from the first time she had spotted them that they could turn color when her mood changed in an extreme way, but would rather not think of that.
Despite how pretty it looked, the idea of her body changing like this was not a pleasant one. She could easily remember the way people had looked at her mother when she did something as simple as walk down the street. She had been tall and very strong, wearing clothes that showed her scaly markings, which tended to be mostly blue and green with a few splashes of yellow. Men, of all kinds, would come up to her and try to engage her in conversation, or even try to touch her sometimes, though live to regret it. Ryanne remember crying men limping away with broken hands and arms.
“A man who can easily talk is something to be delighted in,” her mother had told Ryanne, “but a man who can easily touch should be taught the dangers of such behavior.”
Ryanne had never doubted her mother’s strength and charm, but rather her understanding left something to desired. Out of all her sisters she was the only one not making herself wanted by the male city population. She had heard of some of their exploits from listening to her coworkers talk, and even some of the travelers going out of the city. The lovely, beguiling and above all beautiful daughters of Bhreya, who had once seduced one of the twelve trade-princes of the South. Such a shame Ryanne was, to not join her sisters in their splendorous display.
Ironically, for Ryanne it was an every day fear that someone would see her own colorful markings and link that to them, forever making it impossible to walk the streets unrecognized. The thought that one day she would stand out in a crowd as much as her kin was not one she liked to dwell on.
Much rather she would stay at home and build herself a small library, unbothered by the gazes and slack-jawed comments of the people living all around.
She had tried to live outside the city in one of the small villages surrounding it, much to chagrin of her mother of course, but found that people there were no better than what she was used to. And on top of that there was very little to do or read.
Trying to stave off any thoughts of being revealed for who she was, Ryanne soon sought out the blissful solitude of her bedroom and drifted off to sleep.
Morning came quickly in the way of sunlight peeking through the curtains, illuminating rows of books stacked neatly into a wall filled with bookcases. Today was her one day off work in the week, so Ryanne figured she should rise early and use her time well.
After carefully selecting a book to take with her, she stuck it in her bag and made her way out. The sun was already warm on her skin. Damn, she thought, seeing as that deprived her of a good excuse to keep wearing her coat.
After getting breakfast at the bakery downstairs, she made her way to the city wall, though far away from the guardhouse where she worked. She knew a bit of wall where people generally did not come, except for guards on their rounds and that only twice a day.
She ate her breakfast with careful bites as she made her way to the wall and up, taking one of the available stairs that were placed every few hundred meters. This part ran past the shop of a leatherworker and noxious fumes hung all around it, though few people knew the wind would blow it away from the wall on most days, making it an ideal spot to relax in solitude.
So she found a place against the battlements where she could read for a while and let her mind wander. Eventually she took of her cap, though kept her coat as the shirt she wore underneath showed entirely too much of her neck and shoulders for her to feel comfortable.
Eventually she heard footsteps coming towards her. She didn’t have to look up to see it was the guards on their usual routine. She knew a few of ones who worked the watch- as well as guardhouse shifts, though not well enough for any sort of casual conversation.
Shadows fell over her as they came up to her, but stopped there.
“Hey beautiful, what’re you readin’?”
In front of her stood three men. A human with long dark hair, looking around him like he was bored with the scenery. A grey furred Lillin who seemed to her like they all did, one good scare would typically make him shrink to half his size and run off. The last one was the one who had spoken, leaning over her. She wasn’t sure what he was; he seemed mostly human except for the long, dark skinned, pointed ears with hair growing out of them.
She tried her hardest to give him her most unimpressed face before answering. “If I wanted to have a conversation about it, I wouldn’t be sitting here, now would I?”
“Aw, don’t be like that,” the man above her answered, “we’re just trying to be friendly.”
“I’d find it exceptionally friendly of you if you’d just let me read.”
“Why don’t we jus-“ the Lillin started.
“I didn’t ask you anything, you grey coward,” the long-eared human interrupted. ”Now why don’t you stand your pretty little self up an come and have a drink with us,” he continued in a way that very pointedly did not sound like a question.
“No thanks,” she replied. “I only want to sit here and read. You can have your drink without me.” She could feel agitation rising within her. What she wouldn’t give to be able to knock these three straight off the wall. She made a point not to look up and continued staring at the book in her hands when she felt a hand grabbing her coat and pulling her up.
“Come on now, no sense in wasting a nice day just sitting around being boring,” the half breed said while pulling her up. She could see the long-haired man standing behind him, smirking. Meanwhile the Lillin looked concerned, his gaze darting left and right. With her free hand Ryanne yanked on her coat, pulling the buttons loose, and slipped out of it. The half-breed quickly grabbed her arm though, and pulled her back.
“Hey now don’t-“ he started, his eyes growing wide as he noticed the markings across her neck and shoulders, now visible above the simple shirt she was wearing. She saw the scaling on her shoulders glow a bright red.
“Hey, I know those,” the long-haired man started, “you’re one of those sisters. The ones who’re always out in town with them rich people.”
“Oh this just to good to be true,” the half breed said while starting to pull her closer. Indignation, fear and disgust rose up in her throat as she saw his face, gleaming with pleasure at having her in his hands. She could feel tremors of rage coursing through her as she balled her free fist and brought it hard against his jaw, hearing something crack, though she couldn’t care less if that thing was his face or her fist. He stumbled backwards against the merlons, loosing his footing and sliding down. Anger combined with adrenaline made her feel like she could tear the wall down, as she stood there. The long-haired man came up to her from her side, swinging his fist at her face but it seemed to her as if he moved slowly, like through water. She caught his hand deftly and pulled him in while placing her other hand on the back of his head and pushing him along, ramming his face into the wall. Blood stains remained on the place where he hit, while he slumped down on the grey stones.
“No!” she heard someone shout from behind her and as she turned around she could see the Lillin struggling with the half-breed, who was now holding a knife in his hand. The Lillin had shrunk down to half his size as his race usually did when they experienced stress. Blood and teeth ran from his mouth as he sank the blade in the Lillin’s side and threw him aside.
Ryanne felt as though she should be panicking, but felt oddly calm despite it all. The half-breed walked towards her, brandishing his knife in her direction, and she felt was anger and a sense of wonder at her own calm.
“Now lesh have shum fum,” he said as he came closer.
“Yes, let’s,” replied Ryanne as she moved in and grabbed hold of the arm and hand in which he held the weapon and squeezed. She could feel the bones protesting, bending and breaking as he cried out and dropped the knife. His scream ended the moment she let go, after which he scurried away on the ground, crying and cradling his arm, after which he stood up and ran, followed closely by the long-haired man who was holding his hand and seemed unable to run in a straight line.
Ryanne looked back to see the Lillin sitting against the merlons, breathing heavily. Blood coated the side where he had been stabbed. His eyes fluttered open as she moved up to him and crouched down.
“P-Please… d…don’t…” he started stuttering, as the gravity of the whole situation suddenly rushed up to her.
“You need a doctor,” she said.
“N-no, I’ll be a-alright. Just need to,” he said before a gasp cut him short. “I j-just need to sit still and drink s… s-something.”
Ryanne looked around to see if anyone was close by, but the wall was as empty as it usually was. When she looked back at him his eyes had closed and he was breathing heavily. She made up her mind and picked him up. Small as he was, she was still surprised at how light he felt to her. Careful not to lose her footing but as quickly as she dared Ryanne made her way down the stairs and half walked half ran through small streets and alleys, hoping to not be stopped or noticed by anyone wondering why was carrying a bleeding Lillin around.
Eventually she arrived at her place, thanking whatever gods were listening that she’d made it safely. She carefully laid the Lillin down in a chair before rushing over to her bed from where underneath she pulled a box filled with bandages and a bottle of strong alcohol. She grabbed the box and moved back to her unfortunate guest, whose skin seemed grey in the places where it wasn’t covered with short brown fur.
Again his eyes opened and he looked at her. “Water,” he croaked.
A short distance away stood her wash basin that she had forgotten to empty. She pulled it closer and before she could do anything the Lillin threw himself in, splashing water all around. The water remaining colored red as he moved around and put his face in. Instantly he started to grow bigger and soon reached his original size. When he stood up Ryanne could see the wound in his side had completely closed, leaving some red scar tissue.
“Thank you,” he said before his eyes turned over in his head and he fell over, unconscious. She managed to catch him before he hit the ground and carried him over to her bed. She almost dropped him again, however, when she caught a glimpse of herself in the bedroom mirror.
After she’d put him down in her bed, she walked back and looked herself over, though could barely believe what she saw. She was big.
She almost dropped unconscious as well. She had always put her mother’s encouragement of filling out one day to the side as motherly positivity, but now she knew what she had meant. Somehow she’d failed to notice it on her way back, but she had spontaneously grown about 20 centimeters and both her chest and hips stretched out the clothing that had previously been loose fitting.
She felt self-conscious for a second, but figured the Lillin in her bed would probably be out cold long enough, so she took off her shirt just to check and was thoroughly amazed at what she saw. She’d seen it on her mother and sisters, but didn’t recall it quite like this.
The markings that had before been little more than a few spots and lines of scales in various colour had grown and expanded to now run along her two spines, weaving across her back in a bright orange and yellow pattern, and ran over her shoulders like folded wings, coming together on her neck and stopping at the base of her skull and jaw. The scales themselves were more in number, but also smaller and felt smooth to the touch. It made her think of dancing flames and it was the prettiest thing she had ever seen.
Her arms, legs and stomach were muscled where before they’d been slight, as if she’d been working out, something she’d never had the stamina or discipline to do before.
She stood there, in front of the mirror, for a while, looking at herself from every angle in disbelief. Every moment of seeing the stranger in the reflection made her question itself more. How can this be, she thought.
All in all she reminded her of someone. Her mother.
She put on clean clothes that almost fit her well. She could slap herself for leaving her large coat out on top of the wall, but thankfully she had a spare that was just a bit bigger. After checking if the Lillin was still unconscious, which he thoroughly was, she stepped out, feeling more self-conscious of her looks than she had ever done before.
Ryanne felt as if every person in the streets was staring back at her as she walked on, making her way to her mother’s house. The irony of cursing herself for living as far away from her mother as decently possible crossed her mind.
A sigh of relief crossed her lips when she finally arrived at the large stately house, close to the High Hills but not quite there, which had been a gift to Ryanne’s mother from her father, who she had never met.
Ryanne knocked on the door and was surprised by how hard it sounded. It seemed she’d need some time to get used to her new mass. Soon the door opened, revealing her mother standing in a long azure colored dress that accentuated her body more than it revealed. Ryanne knew she would never go out like this, but it seemed too revealing to her nonetheless. Even after raising five daughters by herself, no excessive signs of aging showed on her. Her skin was faultless still, as if she was no older than perhaps 30 years.
It took her a second, but recognition dawned on her mother’s face quickly, followed by surprise.
“Ryanne? Have you really evaded me for so long for me to have missed this?”
“Do we really need to talk about this in the street, mother?” she replied, exasperated already.
The door closed behind her as she made her way into the large parlor, filled with the furniture she had specially crafted. Her mother was wary of straightly answering where her funds came from, but it was evident that she lived quite comfortably.
As soon as she stepped in her mother started moving around her, feeling her arms and scales, softly pinching her in places. Ryanne moved away, trying to get away from her busy hands.
“I always knew you’d do well. I told you did I not?” she said with a contented smile on her face. “You must tell me what happened for you to experience such a wonderful change.”
“What do you mean?” Ryanne replied, “You knew this would happen?”
“Of course! I told you all these years that you would fill out just right eventually.”
This was the truth. For as long as she could remember, her mother had gathered her sisters and her together and told them how beautiful they would eventually be. She’d tell tales of the most wonderful of their people and how they could have anything they desired. What she always failed to properly answer was just who their people were.
“Mom,” said Ryanne as she looked at her mother. She could feel tears beginning to swell up in her eyes. “What am I?”
Her mother gently took her in her arms. Even though she was now just as tall, she still felt very small. The instant her mother’s arms folded around her she started crying. She didn’t want it, she wanted to stand strong, but all strength instantly flowed out of her along with all the stress she hadn’t known she felt. With great heaving sobs she collapsed against her mother, who led her to sit down.
When she calmed down for a bit, her mother started talking.
“When I was just a bit younger than you, I lived down in the southern field, along with my uncle and aunt. My uncle had been my father’s brother and they had raised me along with the whole clan. They belonged to one of the herding clans of the great green sea, who swear to have no home but where their herds take them.”
Ryanne looked up through tear filled eyes, to see her mother look as if her gaze went far away.
“I never knew my parents,” she continued. “All my uncle would say about them was that his brother had been the hero of his clan, the one who would lead them to the greenest waves.
My mother, on the other hand, had been a witch, sent from some abysmal place to steal their greatest from them. All I remember from him as a young girl was his hateful gaze when he looked at me.
Sometimes though, at night when I was looking at the stars and he was too drunk to care, my aunt would bring me tea and tell me different stories. My father has been an impressive man, strong and vigorous, but also boastful and arrogant. My mother had come from somewhere in the North, but none could tell just how far as she would not say. She had been magical to be sure and very beautiful, but also kind and strong. She’d lived among them for several months, helping both the men and the women, earning the respect and love of many.
In the end, my father had fallen desperately in love with her, though many thought it to be shameful to associate in such a way with someone obviously not from the same people. Soon after my mother was pregnant though, my father died. The medicine men attributed it to disease, but everyone knew my mother was to blame.
My aunt would not tell me more, aside from that they were my only living relatives and it was their responsibility to raise me.
Eventually I grew older and noticed the affection some of the clansmen gave me, both young and older. I was wary of it though. They had not treated me with much love before and I did not trust it then. Meanwhile my uncle grew more and more resentful of me, cursing me for using up space, eating their food, not doing enough work. Cursing me for living.
I don’t remember all of what happened that night, but I remember the drink on his breath and the way he looked at me. He told me I was the daughter of a whore and no better myself. It came to me though, when he sought to force himself. More strength than I knew I had in me. I am sure I hurt him, though how much I don’t know, or even if he lived. I fled right after.”
Her mother looked at her then, though it did not seem to Ryanne that she was sad, though rather determined.
“I’ve learned so much since then. About whom we are and what we are meant to do.”
Ryanne’s throat felt raw when she said, “What do you mean, meant to do? What are we?”
“There are many names for us, though I doubt if any of those are our own. Some are simply not worth repeating. I heard there used to be much more of us, but none could tell me where they all are.
What is certain is this: We do not really belong to any of the races found here in the city, though we need them all the same. There might once have been, but as far as anyone knows no male children in our line have been born in a long time. For this, we consort with the others. The resulting offspring, which in my experience will always come forth, will appear one of them, but unmistakably be one of ours.
We live long lives, sometimes centuries, as we age very slowly. During this time we tend to grow strong. Sometimes when we are threatened it can go much more quickly, as you seem to have noticed.”
Ryanne looked at her own arms, which were much more firm and muscled than they had ever been.
“I do hope you were gentle on whoever gave you that,” her mother said.
It took Ryanne a few moments for her words to sink in.
“Gentle?” she said, “What do you mean, gentle?” She could her the anger in her own voice, but it seemed paltry compared to the anger within her. “I should have ripped them apart for what they were trying to do!”
Her mother seemed unfazed, sitting back calmly, seemingly studying her. “And what then? The city guard comes, sees you, standing over the bodies of some men beaten to within an inch of their lives. Questions will be asked, Ryanne, and when they don’t like the answers they will summon the Magisters. They will have answers al right, but not any that we will enjoy.”
Ryanne looked at her mother and felt so angry she could vomit. She had a thousand things she wanted to say, but the words would not come to her. Meanwhile, her mother continued.
“It would probably be best for you to get out of the city for a while. At least until this blows past.” She stood up and walked over to a small cupboard where she grabbed a small bag from a drawer, which she handed to Ryanne. Inside she saw a collection of silver coins.
“I don’t want any of your money!” she shouted, “Or leave the city!”
“And when it is found out what you are, what do you think will happen to me? Or your sisters? They are quite well known and easy to be found, you must realize.”
Ryanne’s stomach clenched. For all their differences, she loved her sisters. The thought of them falling into the hands of the Magisters, who would see them as some object of study, made her feel sick.
“Fine!” she said, “I’ll leave. But when I get back, don’t expect to ever see me again.” With that she turned around and walked out of the house, rage churning inside her. Never before had she felt so betrayed. She barely payed any attention to her surroundings, until eventually she came up to her house. What she found there shocked her out of her current state.
Guards were standing at the bottom of the stairs up to her apartment, as well as outside her door, which stood open. Just then several people stepped out. It took her a second to recognize them, but then it hit her. First came one of them men who had assaulted her, the one whose teeth she knocked out, followed by another figure, wearing armor decorated with gold markings. It was the commander of the city guard.
Suddenly she heard a voice come from to the alley to her right. “Quick, in here.”
When ducked in there and her eyes accustomed to the shade, she recognized him. It was the Lillin she had left in her bed. Immediately she grabbed him by the shoulders and pressed him into the wall behind him. She could hear the air being knocked out of his lungs.
“You brought them here!” she said.
“Keep it down,” he replied in a whisper, “They’ll hear us. And no, I didn’t. When someone came to the door I thought it was you at first, but then I heard Jerd’s voice and knew it had to mean trouble. So I slipped out the back window.”
“The back window is several meters up.”
“I never said it was easy, or pleasant. I weigh less when I’m nervous, you may have noticed,” he said and looked down at the same time. His legs were hanging well above the ground. Ryanne put him down.
“Sorry, I’m just… confused. Who’s Jerd?”
“He’s the guy you knocked around. The one who’s now missing his teeth.” He walked to the corner of the alley and peeked around. “His father is commander of the city guard, which is why he’s taken such an interest. Look.”
Ryanne peeked around the corner as well. She could see the commander shouting at some of the guards. She couldn’t make out what it was, but she doubted it meant anything good for her. Behind him, Jerd was grinning like an idiot, not in the least helped by the teeth he was missing.
“You need to get out of here,” the Lillin said, “the whole guard will know what you look like soon. And I’m afraid they’ll be looking for me as well.” He had a got a forlorn expression on his face as he said the last part and sank down to the ground. “What am I going to do? It’s not safe here, but I’ll never get out of the city if they know who to look for.”
He looked pitiful to Ryanne. “Get up and come on. I know a way out of here,” she said as she started walking. Startled, the Lillin got up and went after her.
“You mean that? I can come with you?” he said with a surprised look on his face.
“Yes, I figure I owe you for warning me. I’m Ryanne.”
“My name is Baughbericus. But you can call me Baughb.”
Together they made their way over to the city wall again, being careful not to get noticed by any passing guards. On their way there they stopped at a market in one of the many small city squares, where Ryanne used most of her mother’s silver to buy a backpack, some simple clothes that fit her along with cloaks for both of them and some food to take with them. When they arrived at the wall, Ryanne started to make her way alongside it, Baughb in tow behind her.
“You’re not considering jumping off the other side are you?” he said, “Even with the moat, we’ll never survive the fall.”
“No, I know something better,” she replied as she kept walking. The houses here had been built almost right up to the wall, leaving only a small alleyway in between. In the newer, better maintained, parts of the city there was room enough between to allow for easy passage. But here, things tended to be more neglected.
It was almost impossible to find if you didn’t know what you were looking for, but she did. Hidden away in a small alcove, behind a storage warehouse, was a door made of thick wood, banded with heavy iron. The lock had long since rusted, which didn’t matter because the door had been unmovable by the time she had found it, years ago.
Now though, she hoped things might be different. She put her shoulder against the door and pushed. The door protested, but didn’t budge.
She tried kicking against it, which made debris fall from both the door and frame, but still didn’t move it.
“You should try kicking the lock,” Baughb said from behind her. “You probably shouldn’t ask why I know that,” he added when she looked at him.
Bracing herself, Ryanne kicked against the look, which made a breaking sound. She tried again and with a loud creak the door opened, if only for a little bit. Again, she pushed against it, this time slowly but surely pushing it open.
At the other side was a small stone landing, behind which she thought she could make out the rotten remains of a narrow wooden bridge, mostly sunk under the moat.
“We’re going to have to swim,” she said. Luckily Baughb knew how, so they made their way across easily. On the other side Baughn shook himself, spraying water all around him. Ryanne was almost jealous, having to deal with wet clothes that didn’t fit quite as well as they once had. She didn’t want to get changed in front of him, right here in full view of the wall as well.
“So where do you think we should go?” he asked.
“I figure we might make our way to one of the smaller towns surrounding the city first. I’ll see where I want to make my way from there. I figure they won’t expect me to be out of the city yet, so no one will be looking for me.”
“Oh,” Baughb answered. Ryanne figured he might be disappointed that she had not included him in her plan, but right now she really felt like being alone for a while.
As they started walking, she stayed ahead of him, watching the setting sun in front of her. When darkness had fallen and the city started to be little more than a spot in the distance, dimly illuminated by the torches on the wall, she felt tears slowly streaming down her face. The anger within her slowly starting to make way for a sense of dejection and abandonment.